P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes enters 2025 with a new rookie driver to go with its new team leader.
Kimi Antonelli will be the first rookie Mercedes driver since 1954 to participate in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Toto Wolff chose the 18-year-old Antonelli as a Lewis Hamilton replacement, emphasizing the youngster’s potential likened to ‘the new Max Verstappen’. Antonelli will partner with three-time Grand Prix winner George Russell, who is tasked with being the team leader for the 2025 season. F1 fans have overwhelmingly supported Russell over Antonelli in their projected performance for the upcoming season. Antonelli’s rookie season faces challenges, including getting up to speed on new tracks like Shanghai, Suzuka, and Miami, with Wolff’s confidence in the young driver’s capabilities driving his choice over more experienced options like Carlos Sainz or Valterri Bottas, who will serve as a mentor. Russell, on the other hand, aims to solidify his position as a key driver amid potential competition from Max Verstappen in 2026.
